Meeting Each Other
by darkgirl3
Summary: Jackson decides he wants to pick the guy in the bar up. It doesn't go well at all. He can't figure out why the guy seems familiar, but he does. Ethan had just wanted to be alone, but Jackson happens. They end up becoming friends. Prequel to Maybe It's Not So Gross.
1. Chapter 1

**I Don't Own Anything. If I Did Aiden wouldn't have died. It was just too heart breaking.**

 **AN: Back Story to Maybe It's Not So Gross when Ethan/Jackson met at the bar. I hope it's not too OOC for Ethan. I drew on what felt like loosing my mom. She was more of a sister to me. Been almost 5 years, but still awful feeling some days.**

 **AN2: I really have hard time writing sad things like this so I hope that it is okay. I'd rather write happy with Aiden alive or bring him back.**

 **Title: Meeting Each Other**

 **Characters: Ethan, Jackson and Danny (on phone)**

 **Summary: Jackson decides he wants to pick the guy in the bar up. It doesn't go well at all. He can't figure out why the guy seems familiar, but he does. Ethan had just wanted to be alone, but Jackson happens. They end up becoming friends. Prequel to Maybe It's Not So Gross.**

Jackson was trying to scope the bar out, it wasn't an actual gay bar. However, he had done some research about the place. He had also gotten one of the two friends he had actually made when he got to London to come here with him the first couple of times. It wasn't that he was having problems with dealing with being into guys. He'd always looked, but he had never acted on that until he had come here to London.

The bar had a dance floor for if anyone got the urge to dance, but at the moment the music wasn't great. He was about to just give up and leave for the night when he noticed someone walk in the door. He didn't know why on earth the guy looked familiar, but he did. He smiled because he was really hoping the guy was gay or bi. He really didn't want to get his ass kicked going up to the wrong guy.

He decided that it might be better if he watched for a little before approaching the guy. He looked about his age and he wondered if the id he showed the bartender was real or fake. Danny had made theirs when they were fifteen; it had gotten them into some of the clubs back home. He had gone a few times to Jungle with Danny to watch out for him. He wasn't going to hang his best friend out when he had told him he was gay.

Jackson watched as the guy took the beer before going back to one of the corner tables. He watched how he sat down so that he could see the entire place. He hadn't gotten but three and a half months to spend learning how to be a werewolf before his dad told him they were moving. However, he could tell the guy didn't seem happy, he sort of looked down. He probably wouldn't have even bothered months ago, but he was trying to be a better person.

Jackson got a second beer before he sat down at the bar using the mirror to keep an eye on the guy. He didn't want him to seem him staring at him and it was the only way he could keep watch. He'd give it maybe fifteen minutes before he went over to the table. It would give him more time to get a read on the guy. He was hot, even if he did seem like he was having a bad night.

 **~EJ JE EJ JE~**

Ethan didn't really want to be in the bar, but it was better here. He didn't want to keep sitting at the apartment for another minute. It felt like the walls were closing in on him there. Waking up from another nightmare screaming for Aiden had to stop. It had been two weeks, three days and twelve hours since he had gotten to London. He hadn't known where to go at first since Deucalion had screwed over so many people. He'd been a part of that too and it hurt knowing he wasn't going to find a place to call home probably anywhere.

The beer in front of him wasn't actually going to do any good, but it had been his dad's favorite. He barely remembered his parents and it hurt knowing that he was the only one left. However, he had one thing of his parents. It was a journal with things written down in it. He hadn't even known it had existed until he'd been going through Aiden's stuff. He'd found it wrapped up in a box.

He could tell that the thing hadn't been opened in years. It had a lock on it, which had been rusty from lack of use. The key hadn't even been with the thing so he'd had to break it open. It hadn't been so hard, but when he had, he found things he hadn't been expecting. There had been pictures of the building he was staying in now. It had listed places to see and the beer he was sipping on. It had been in his mom's hand writing, but his dad had obviously wrote things in it too.

It was where he had found out that his parents had first met in London. He had remembered asking once and his mom had just said she'd tell him when he was older. It had been six months after that day he'd lost his parents. The journal had given him some comfort with pictures and reading what his parents had wrote. They'd met here in London as teenagers on summer trip the year before they graduated high school. They'd been his age when they found the person they were meant to be with.

He'd had eleven good years with his parents, seventeen with Aiden. He still didn't want to think that Aiden wasn't coming back. He kept expecting to wake up and see his twin making some kind of joke or just smiling at him.

 **~EJ JE EJ JE~**

Before he'd left Beacon Hills he'd gone to see Derek. He had needed two things from the other former alpha. The first had been help finding a really good place to bury Aiden. He'd wanted somewhere his brother could be at peace and no one would ever mess with his grave. Beacon Hills had been a place that they both had felt like home for the first time since they were kids. Aiden had loved it there so he wasn't going to take him anywhere else.

Derek had found a place that looked over Beacon Hills with a view that was amazing any time of the year. The entire pack had been there, even Danny had showed up. They had already broken up, but it had helped knowing that Danny didn't hate him for not telling him the truth. He still had been shocked that Danny had known the truth.

After the rest of the pack had left he'd sat there until the moon had started to rise. Danny hadn't left him there though; he had refused to let him stay alone when he was hurting so much. It had hurt having to leave Danny; it was like having his heart ripped out all over. He'd tried to hold it together for days after he'd held onto Aiden's body that night clinging to his dead brother. He still had no memory of leaving the school

Derek had taken him to the loft though; he'd stayed with him that night like Danny had at the grave. The only difference had been he hadn't broken at the loft after he'd cried holding onto Aiden. He'd shut down a part of his self not wanting to feel it, but when he was sitting at the grave he'd let the rest of the pain out. It was never really going to go away, but he hadn't wanted to believe Aiden was dead.

He still remembered Danny telling him he'd never be alone, he'd always have Aiden looking out for him. He hadn't wanted to let go of Danny either knowing he was the first guy he ever loved. He'd given Danny his heart and another piece of him that only Aiden and Danny knew about. Danny had promised him that he'd find some one that was perfect for him though. He'd find what his parents had had.

When the sun had come up Danny had took him back to the apartment. He hadn't wanted to have sex, but he'd asked Danny to just lay with him until he fell asleep. He knew he wouldn't stay until he woke up. He'd just wanted to feel Danny holding him one last time since he was going to be alone when he woke up.

It had surprised him when he'd woken up with Danny still there though. He'd told him that he wasn't going to let him go as a friend even if they were broken up. He was the one ex he didn't want to make disappear off the face of the earth. Danny had helped him pack up the apartment, what little there was before he had left Beacon Hills. Aiden's motorcycle was in Danny's garage, he couldn't bring his self to sell Aiden's. He'd sold his though, if he ever went back he wanted to have Aiden's. He'd also given Danny his leather jacket because he'd wanted to have Aiden's.

 **~EJ JE EJ JE~**

Ethan pulled his self out of the thoughts of the last few weeks. He didn't want to keep moping even though it was still so fresh. He was so close to breaking his promise and calling Danny again. He knew he had to stop, but they were friends still. He'd even thought about calling Lydia back. She'd called the day before, but he'd been sleeping since it was about six hour's difference from California than London.

He had been told he would be found and have his ass kicked if he didn't keep in touch. Scott had told him that he'd already made the decision of having Aiden and him in the pack. He just hadn't wanted to stay without Aiden there. It wouldn't seem right, but he knew if he needed help that all he had to do was call one of them. Isaac had even been nice to him before he had left. He also had Isaac's number on his phone. Scott had put it in his phone at some point.

The beer he had was almost gone now and he was debating on getting a second one or just leaving. He had been looking around the bar while he'd been in his own personal hell. He would never be crazy enough not to keep his mind at least half on his surroundings'. Aiden would kick his ass so badly when he finally joined his brother where ever he was. He hoped every night that he was watching over him like their parents.

Ethan downed the last swallow of the beer looking up at the bar. He was starting to feel like he was being watched. The place he knew wasn't an actual gay bar, but the place had some same sex couples on weekends mostly. It was why he liked the place so much, besides his parents coming here. He'd been hit on a lot in the last week. However, he kept turning every guy down; even the women were doing it.

He actually smiled thinking about what Aiden might say about everybody hitting on him. He'd helped Aiden out once, but it was by keeping the woman's boyfriend distracted. It had about gotten both of them beat down. It hadn't mattered though because he'd let Aiden have what he'd wanted that night. Aiden had returned the favor for him the first time he'd wanted to go to a dance club. Aiden hadn't even blinked when he'd realized it was a gay club.

 **~EJ JE EJ JE~**

Jackson saw when the guy looked up at the front and he saw him smile. It was something he hadn't seen in the last fifteen minutes. He'd been getting so many chemo-signals from the guy he wasn't sure if he was going to go over to him at first. However, he decided he was now seeing how wonderful the smile was. It didn't meet the guys eyes, which had mixed emotions too, but he found it sweet.

He hadn't dated a guy, but he had been given a couple of blow jobs at one of the local clubs. He hadn't taken them back to the loft though because he wasn't about to trust no one here. He had thought about maybe hooking up in the bathroom though. He wasn't going to bottom, but he'd fuck the guy. He didn't actually need one, but he had a condom on him because he really wanted to hook up.

He saw the label on the beer from the mirror before he asked the bartender for another one for his self. He put the cash down for both before he went over to the table setting the unopened bottle down. He didn't want the guy to think he roofed it, but he really wanted to talk to him. He might get a feel if the guy was at least bi maybe.

"Hi, you don't know me, but I've been watching you since you walked in." Jackson started when the guy looked up. "I thought maybe we could have a beer and maybe use one of the bathroom stalls?" he had never had to use a pick up line on Lydia or any other girl. They had just been drawn to him because of who he was. He wasn't known here like that though and he was hoping it would work. He just hadn't meant to come on so strong. The words had just slipped out and he was hoping it wasn't a turn off.

Ethan looked at the beer then up at the guy standing in front of him. It was the first time anyone had been so blunt about what they wanted. He was trying to find a way to say it without being mean, but there was no way he was going to be going to any damn bathroom stall. He wasn't going to use sex as no escape, Aiden might have done it, but he wasn't Aiden.

His love for Danny also meant too much to just have sex with the first or rather twentieth guy that offered it. He wasn't going to be getting back together with Danny, but to just go out and have sex with random guys this soon. It would feel like Danny had meant nothing, when he'd meant everything to him. Danny had been a first for him in so many ways. He still had the photos on his phone because he just couldn't delete them. He had put them in a separate folder for now though until it didn't hurt so much.

"I don't mind if you sit, maybe talk, but I'm sorry. I can't have sex with you," Ethan said finally, "I think you're cute, but..."

"You're not into guys? Yet you said I was cute, so why not go back to the bathroom?" He was trying not to seem like he was pushing, he didn't want to be an asshole right now.

"I just can't be with a guy right now. If it was maybe three month from now or four maybe, but I wouldn't just go to some bathroom with you for quick fuck." Ethan was trying not to growl. The guy didn't want to back off. He hadn't met a guy like this in a good while, back then he'd had Aiden to punch the shit out of him. Danny had done it once or twice too when they'd gone to one of the clubs in LA for the weekend. He had only his self now though so he was just going have to leave if the guy didn't back off.

"Why not, am I not asking the right way? I guess we could go to my place." Jackson replied back. "I think you're good looking and I'd really like to maybe fuck you. I'd make it good." he smiled hoping that it would help him out.

Ethan sighed closing his eyes for a moment. He didn't know how to tell the guy to back off politely until the moment he heard the words fuck you. "Look, I am really trying to be nice here. You seem nice and I did say you are cute, but I am not going to be bottoming for anyone. I'm sorry if that offends you, but I'm not even in the mood to have sex. I came here to just have a beer or two and I'd really like you to back off."

Jackson did his best not to bring up his werewolf eyes. He was so close to growling, but he took his beer back. "Well you can sit here and drown in the beer," he said before he walked off going to one of the other tables at the other side of the bar. When he finished the beer he was leaving, he hadn't even bothered taking the second he'd gotten for the guy.

He was pissed off, he hadn't gotten shot down in a long time. He needed to cool off before he left the place not wanting to do something stupid. He hadn't done anything nuts since he'd gotten to London, he didn't want to start now. He didn't know why the guy had to get pissed at him, he just wanted to have sex with him. He just didn't trust anyone to fuck him and he didn't have Danny to watch his back. He was completely alone here and he didn't trust the two friends he had like he did Danny.

Ethan leaned back against the chair wishing he hadn't snapped like he had. He took his phone out looking through a few of the pictures he had on it. It brought him back from wanting to just go back to the apartment. He needed to be around people right now because that was who he was. He didn't shy away from public places or hide out. He just couldn't bring his self to be in the mood for anything. It hadn't just been sex with Danny and he really didn't want to go back to the way it had been.

He had fucked plenty of guys before he'd met Danny. It had never meant anything just a way to get off. He'd been the one wanting to know if the guy wanted to go to the bathroom or back alley. He just wanted to deal with everything from the last few months right now. Then in six months he could attempt to find a guy or it might be longer. He knew he could never replace Danny. He didn't want to do that, but he didn't want to be alone forever.

 **~EJ JE EJ JE~**

After another twenty minutes Ethan got up from his chair going to the bartender. He felt bad that the guy had bought him a beer and he hadn't accepted his offer. He was also thinking that the guy hadn't had much experience picking up a guy. He just couldn't do that and respect his own self the next morning. Instead he told the guy at the bar to send the guy in the corner a beer. He only did it to repay him, but he took the piece of paper he saw writing a quick note on it. He paid for the beer before he left not waiting to see what the guys reaction was.

Jackson had been texting Danny for the last twenty minutes needing someone to vent to. He'd been shot down cold and he didn't know what he'd done wrong. He had been keeping an eye on the guy, but he hadn't sent Danny the picture he'd taken. He didn't even know why he had taken the picture. The guy had told him a flat out no, but he'd still been cute.

"I didn't order another beer," Jackson said when the waitress sat the beer on the table. He had barely finished the second one he had gotten. He liked the taste of the beer even if he couldn't get drunk on it. He still remembered the times he'd gotten plastered so bad he'd gotten sick. He still thanked god that Danny had made sure he didn't kill his self. His best friend had picked him up numerous times from parties. He'd taken him to his house and let Jackson sleep it off.

"The guy you were talking to earlier did," the waitress said looking at the name on the outside of the note. "Um, Ethan no last name though," she said handing him the paper before walking off.

Jackson opened the note reading what was inside wondering what it would be. He was shocked what was written inside. He smiled feeling his anger leaving seeing what was there.

 _I didn't mean to act like an ass. I don't think you should tell the guy you're trying to pick up that all you want is a quick fuck. I did like your smile when you first walked up, but I just couldn't. Don't let it stop you at trying to ask another guy out. Just be careful who you hit on. If you want to actually talk to someone, no thoughts of sex, I'll be back Friday._

Jackson read the note three times before looking up to see if the Ethan guy was still in the bar, but he wasn't. "Crap," Jackson said before texting Danny back that he wasn't going to be able to do their usual Skype chat on Friday, which was two days away. He drank the beer in two pulls before he left the bar.

He might have gotten shot down for sex, but he felt like he could maybe find a friend in the guy. He had offered him advice, which none of his friends here had. Danny was always giving him advice, but it was different. Danny wasn't here and he really couldn't rely on Danny for this part. He was slightly annoyed still, but maybe there was some kind of hope.

 **~TBC~**


	2. Chapter 2

**I Don't Own Anything. If I Did Aiden wouldn't have died. It was just too heart breaking.**

 **AN: Back Story to Maybe It's Not So Gross when Ethan/Jackson met at the bar. I hope it's not too OOC for Ethan. I drew on what felt like loosing my mom. She was more of a sister to me. Been almost 5 years, but still awful feeling some days.**

 **AN2: I really have hard time writing sad things like this so I hope that it is okay. I'd rather write happy with Aiden alive or bring him back.**

 **Title: Meeting Each Other**

 **Characters: Ethan, Jackson and Danny (on phone)**

 **Summary: Jackson decides he wants to pick the guy in the bar up. It doesn't go well at all. He can't figure out why the guy seems familiar, but he does. Ethan had just wanted to be alone, but Jackson happens. They end up becoming friends. Prequel to Maybe It's Not So Gross.**

It was only seven-thirty, but Ethan didn't want to be at his place so he just went to the bar. He had brought his sketch book with him sitting at one of the back tables. He could see the entire place where he was sitting including the way to the back exit. He'd gotten a beer, but hadn't drunk but a little of it. He'd also gotten a plate of chili cheese fries with jalapenos cut up in them. He was going easy on the jalapenos though not wanting to end up sick if he ate too many.

He couldn't get sick from any human diseases, but if he ate enough jalapeño peppers he could make his self sick. Aiden had always stopped him from eating too many if he was craving them. Finding your brother puking blood because he ate three dozen of them wasn't cool at all according to Aiden. He'd refused to let him near them for months after that stunt. He couldn't help the smile before opening the sketch book.

He didn't know what he wanted to draw, but he was hoping something would come to him. He'd thought about maybe getting another tattoo, he'd gotten Derek to put the one on his back. It was the second thing he'd asked Derek to do for him besides helping find a place for Aiden.

The tattoo was simple with Aiden's name on his back where his heart was. If he ever did get another one, he'd thought of adding to that one with a black wolf with blue eyes. Aiden had told him if they could actually turn into wolves that Aiden would be the black wolf and he'd be the white wolf. Their mom had been the alpha of their family and she'd been able to do it just like Derek's mom could. He just couldn't remember what his mom's wolf had looked like. The journal didn't have a picture of her like that.

He took the pencil he had and started drawing out a wolf's face. He didn't have anything else to do and he didn't know if the guy would even show back up. He still wasn't about to let him have him, but he could at least give him some advice. It couldn't hurt giving something back that he hadn't really had before he'd met Danny. The packs he'd been in before really hadn't given him a chance to find his self. Aiden had tried helping him some times, but he had never found anything that had been good in the bars.

 **~EJ JE EJ JE~**

Jackson had talked his self in and out of going back to the bar a dozen times. He kept going back to the note he had kept though. It was why he had finally talked his self into going back and left his apartment. At the moment he was looking around the bar trying to find Ethan. He still felt like he should be able to place Ethan. Even his name sounded familiar, but he was at a loss.

When he spotted Ethan at the table he'd been sitting at the other night he walked over after ordering his self a beer. "Can I sit?" He asked when he got to the table. He didn't want to seem rude this time, which he really had been the other night. He just hadn't been shot down cold before and it had ticked him off some.

"As long as you know that we aren't going to be heading to any bed." Ethan said making it clear he still didn't want a hook up.

Jackson pulled the chair out before sitting down in it, "I'm sorry about the other night. It's just that I'd been watching you and I think you're good looking. I didn't mean to be an ass, my best friend told me I was way too pushy. I haven't been told no much and you were right about being new to the trying to pick up guys." He was going for honesty here like Danny had told him a hundred times would get him farther than the way he had done it.

Ethan closed the sketch book sitting up in his chair looking at the guy across from him. "How about we start over? I'm being serious about not wanting to have sex though," he was going be honest too if the guy was. "I just got out of a relationship that meant a lot to me. I loved the guy, he loved me, but it couldn't have worked out in the end. We were like Romeo and Romeo," Ethan explained, he had to give the guy he didn't even know the name of a reason for the way he acted. It wasn't how he was or acted, but right now three fourths of his world had fallen apart. Close to all of it if he really thought about it though. "Our families didn't hate us being together though." He added because it really wasn't the stupid play

"And I totally kept trying to force you into going to the bathroom or my place. Starting over does sound good," Jackson said feeling like a complete ass; he'd known that Ethan hadn't been happy that night. "If you want you can always trash talk him?"

"Hell no," Ethan tried not to growl, he did his best to control it and he was glad when his fangs didn't descend or his eyes change. "There will not be any trash talking of my ex. He was wonderful and sweet. And even after we broke up and I needed a friend really bad, he was there. I can't be with him anymore, but a part of my heart will always be with him. He was the first guy I ever loved."

"Okay, sorry. I got ex that sort of like that; she was the first person that I loved. I moved here and realized that it wasn't just women I was into. I just haven't had sex with a guy yet, least not being fucked. I've had a blow job." Jackson didn't know why he was even telling Ethan this; he really should dial it back. He just felt like he could open up, which was not something he did except for Danny and Lydia. However, he'd started opening up to his parents since they had moved here.

"Don't let some random stranger fuck you in some bathroom or ask to fuck some stranger in a bathroom. You don't know what they could have or if they are even gay or bi," Ethan smiled slightly remembering the lecture he'd gotten from Aiden. "If we're going to be talking for a while, I don't think I should keep calling you the butt munch,"

Jackson couldn't help but laugh at the last part that Ethan said. "Did you just call me a butt munch?" he didn't know why he didn't want to say something about the awful name. "It's Jackson,"

"Yes, Jackson, I called you a butt munch. I about got a beat down by this guy who I thought was harmless when I was fifteen almost sixteen. He'd been hitting on me and I thought he couldn't be so bad. I was called a butt munch by my brother when he had to stop the guy from forcing his self on me. I wasn't like I am now and he'd already had me backed up against his truck." he couldn't help using the same name that Aiden had called him. It made him miss Aiden less in some ways.

"He's not going to end up kicking my ass because you told him about me is he?" Jackson asked looking around not sure who could be Ethan's brother or if he was here. When he looked back at Ethan he saw something in his eyes. It was pain and hurt, he could tell that he'd hit a sore spot.

"My brother's not here," Ethan said fighting to keep his voice normal. He should have known it was too soon to try and say anything about Aiden. He refused to fall apart here though, "He's not here, so you don't have to worry about getting a beat down," he bit down on his inner jaw using the pain to distract him from the ache in his heart. He grabbed the beer on the table downing it. He could use something stronger, but the beer had to do. "I'll be right back,"

Jackson groaned watching Ethan go back towards the bathrooms. He didn't know what he had said that had caused him to retreat. He was batting two for two and he hadn't even been looking for sex this time. Okay, so maybe he'd hoped there could be a possibility, but it was defiantly out now. He downed his own beer before following Ethan. He just hoped he didn't get his ass kicked if he thought he was looking for something else.

 **~EJ JE EJ~**

Ethan refused to break so he did the one thing that he could think of to keep from doing that. He took out his phone dialing his voice mail before listening to the only voicemail he had saved. It only took a moment before he heard Aiden's voice on the other end of the phone. He closed his eyes glad that the bathroom was empty. It wasn't anything special just Aiden promising to fix the brakes on his bike. It ended with Aiden calling him a butt munch for not knowing how to fix his own brakes.

"Damn you Aid, why'd you have to be the damn hero?" Ethan asked saving the voicemail. "I guess found out the answer if we'd die for him," he still wished that Aiden was alive and it was a bad dream. "I miss you so much, bro," he said hoping that Aiden could hear him. He was just glad that he'd never deleted the voicemail from his phone.

The sound of the bathroom door opening pulled Ethan from his thoughts going towards one of the two stalls in the bathroom. He really didn't want somebody seeing him right now. He could tell that his eyes had shifted trying to fight back the tears. He didn't hear anything after a moment besides a heart beating. Ever who it was wasn't using the bathroom; he could swear they were waiting. He was hoping they would just go away. He didn't want to deal right now.

"Ethan? Are you okay? I have no clue what I said that was bad this time," Jackson said knowing which one of the stalls Ethan was in. He hadn't meant to over hear Ethan talking to his self, but he had. "This got to do with your brother?" it was the only thing he could think of.

"It's a good thing that I am a guy because you really couldn't follow some damn woman into a bathroom if she said I'd be right back." Ethan said back before opening the stall door. "I'll be right back means I want to be alone. It sure as hell don't mean follow a guy to the bathroom. The same bathroom that you wanted to fuck me in the other day. I don't have to have anyone kick your ass, I will," he wasn't about to let some stranger he barely knew see him this vulnerable. Jackson didn't have his trust yet, he hadn't earned it.

"We are so starting out on the wrong foot again. I didn't follow you in here to try and hook up. You said that you'd try and do the friends thing. I haven't always been the greatest friend; my best friend is probably the only one that could have dealt with me in the past. However, this is something that Danny would totally do for me. He has done it," Jackson said looking at Ethan. "He is the closest thing I got to a brother, he's not here, but I do talk to him all the time."

"I'm just in a really bad mood right now. I'm not usually the snap and take your head off twin. That was Aiden's M.O. for the longest time, except to me. It's just the nickname and then you asked was he going kick your ass. I'm not dealing so well with Aiden not being here. I had him for seventeen years; we were never apart, but for seven minutes. Now, he's dead and I got no body. I wanted to help you, I thought it might help me too, but I just don't want to talk about Aiden."

"Okay, that's cool," Jackson said leaning against the stall, "What you say we just get the hell out of this bathroom and bar? I think we could both use a friend right now. I just have to know something. Have we ever met somewhere because I swear I know you from somewhere. It's been driving me crazy since Wednesday," Jackson asked, "I mean maybe I knew your brother or something,"

"Aiden has never been here, he died in California about a month ago. I haven't ever came here until now. It's where my parents met, I just wanted to see what London looked like. I needed a fresh start and I got Danny to help me get a passport and stuff since I didn't know how to. I didn't want a fake one so he tracked my birth certificate and social down." Ethan said putting his phone back in his cargo pants pocket.

"Danny?" Jackson asked giving Ethan a once over. He remembered him saying California. "Where exactly did Aiden die at?"

"Do you not remember I don't want to talk about it?" Ethan about growled out, but he still answered the question. "Beacon Hills, California. He didn't want to be cremated; he was scared of fire so I buried him."

"Fuck me," Jackson said standing straight, "You're Ethan," he said not knowing how he had missed the fact that he was a werewolf. He also couldn't believe he had forgotten the damn picture that Danny had sent him few months back with the two of them.

"We have already covered both of those topics," Ethan sighed not realizing what Jackson had said. His mind was else where at the moment and he didn't want to have a normal conversation. "I cannot fuck you; my libido is shot to hell because I watched my brother die in my arms. On top of that, I lost the guy I loved so much that it hurt to breathe if he wasn't near me. It still hurts to breathe and I can't stop telling you shit that I would only tell Danny or Aiden. What the hell is my problem?"

"No, I'm not telling you to actually fuck me. I meant that you are my best friend's ex boyfriend. Four months ago, I scared the shit out of you when you were in Danny's room and I was on Skype. He'd let you in through the window and I yelled out when he forgot I was there when you two started going at it on the bed." Jackson said wondering if that would trigger Ethan's memory. He didn't know how he had forgotten who Ethan was after about seeing the other guy's privates.

"You asked him to make a video and send it to you of us having sex," Ethan glared at Jackson, "You didn't scare the shit out of me either, freaked me out thinking you were actually there watching us, but I don't scare easy." he had wanted to kick Jackson's ass, but Danny had closed the laptop after flipping him off.

"I was joking on that part, but I wouldn't have turned it down if he had sent it to me." Jackson grinned at the glare that Ethan was giving him. "I swear Danny never sent the video to me. And I'm sorry about your brother. Danny told me that breaking up with you was the hardest thing he had done. He didn't want to give you up," he had talked to Danny for almost four hours the night he'd broken up with Ethan. He hadn't cared that he had to go to school that day. "Don't go telling him I told you this, but you were the first guy he really loved." he was having diarrhea of the mouth too and was in need of getting out of the place.

"I swear to god if you don't stop talking I will erase your ass," Ethan growled, Danny wasn't the only one that knew how to hack. They'd taught each other a few things they hadn't known. "I can do it too, ask our friend," he said before going past Jackson to get out of the bathroom. If he didn't get out of there he was seriously going to lose it. He hadn't even thought of the memories since lunch. He seriously needed something to make him stop. He was tired of being emotional, but he felt like he had no one. Sure there was a phone call or three he could make, but what he wanted the most he couldn't have.

 **~TBC~**


	3. Chapter 3

**I Don't Own Anything. If I Did Aiden wouldn't have died. It was just too heart breaking.**

 **AN: Back Story to Maybe It's Not So Gross when Ethan/Jackson met at the bar. I hope it's not too OOC for Ethan. I drew on what felt like loosing my mom. She was more of a sister to me. Been almost 5 years, but still awful feeling some days.**

 **AN2: I really have hard time writing sad things like this so I hope that it is okay. I'd rather write happy with Aiden alive or bring him back.**

 **Title: Meeting Each Other**

 **Characters: Ethan, Jackson and Danny (on phone)**

 **Summary: Jackson decides he wants to pick the guy in the bar up. It doesn't go well at all. He can't figure out why the guy seems familiar, but he does. Ethan had just wanted to be alone, but Jackson happens. They end up becoming friends. Prequel to Maybe It's Not So Gross.**

Ethan got his sketch book putting a tip on the table before he walked out of the bar. He needed air so badly right now. He was still hungry, but finding out who Jackson actually was had made him want to get as far away as possible. It had hurt like hell knowing he'd been the first person Danny loved. He didn't know why it hurt this badly again. He walked the four blocks to his apartment going inside and locking the door.

He looked at the time before he took his phone out and dialed the second number on his speed dial. He needed to talk to someone right now so he wouldn't listen to the voicemail for the next four hours. The moment he heard the voice on the other line he smiled somewhat.

"Ethan? What's wrong?" Danny asked when he picked up the phone. He hadn't been expecting Ethan to call since he'd texted the day before he was meeting with somebody. He checked in every Friday without fail usually. He'd made Ethan swear he would call or Skype if he was feeling alone or woke up from a nightmare. It was probably not the best thing to do, but he couldn't just cut all ties to Ethan.

"The guy I told you that wanted to drag me to the bathroom and fuck me, you know him," Ethan said sitting down on the couch before sliding down to the floor. "We both know him," he added.

"I know him? I don't know anybody in London, but..." Danny trailed off. "Wait you're telling me that you're the guy that Jackson was pushing and you about took his head off?" he couldn't help but laugh. He hadn't even thought that Ethan would run into Jackson. London was large and Ethan hadn't said exactly where in London he was going. "I'm guessing he didn't show back up tonight if you're calling me."

"Oh no, he showed up. I was trying to help him out on the picking up a guy thing. It was fine until I called him a butt munch. I miss him so bad, Danny. Why'd I think I could just leave so soon? Why couldn't I have just stayed there for another month? I'm completely alone and I don't know anybody here."

Danny could tell that Ethan needed a friend more than anything right now. "You wanted to find a fresh start. Somewhere that no one knew you and had no bad memories from either of your former packs. Why you picked London, your parents met there and even if you wanted to stay you couldn't. You need to find a place that you belong, Ethan. I know that we both wanted it to be here, but it's not. You deserve somebody that is going to love you for who you are. I'm not going to forget what we had, but I know there is someone that fits us better,"

Ethan closed his eyes listening to Danny's voice knowing that he was right. "Thanks, I just really needed a friend. I'm not sorry I fell for you even if hurts like hell. There's going be somebody for you too. I just lost both my anchors at once," he let the tears fall just listening to Danny breathing.

"Can't your anchor be a friend?" Danny asked, he didn't know a lot about werewolves when it came to an anchor. He knew what he'd found doing the research he had done. "I know I'm a country away, but I still care for you. A part of me will always love you, Ethan."

"Yeah, but you don't have to," Ethan replied knowing what Danny was offering him.

"I know that you're going to find somebody. Maybe until you can trust them I can still be that for you. I don't mind being that friend to anchor you. I can't let my second best friend lose the rest of his mind." he had given Ethan the easy out by doing the breaking up. He still missed him though; he just had to deal with being friends though.

"Thanks Danny, I promise I won't eat the jalapeños in the fridge," he wasn't on the edge of falling into the darkness anymore. "Crap, somebody's at the door. I got to go, I'm glad I have you as a friend still. I don't think I could have dealt with loosing that too."

"You're welcome. You can save me from the elf lord later on, if you can't text me," Danny said before hanging the phone up.

 **~EJ JE EJ JE~**

Ethan shook his head before getting up off the floor. He still played the online games that Danny had gotten him addicted to. He went towards the apartment door looking at the camera he had hooked up. He refused to be surprised by unwanted visitors or possibly a hunter. However he was surprised when he saw Jackson standing on the other side of the door. "How the hell did you find out where I lived at?" he asked opening the door giving him a look.

"I followed you before I went and got pizza for us. You do realize you need a better security system than a camera?" he asked not bothering to be invited in, he just walked in passed Ethan going over to the coffee table. "So you got any plates or are we just eating out of the box?" Jackson asked.

"I didn't even say you could come in, pea brain, "Ethan growled before closing and locking the door back."I am so telling Danny that his best friend has no manors. I wasn't raised in a barn thank you. I might have almost been born in one thanks to my dad not knowing what my water broke meant, but I wasn't raised in one," he said walking towards the kitchen area of the place.

"Danny knows that I got slim to none manors. We have known each other since I was like three," Jackson laughed at the nickname that Ethan had used this time. "Pea brain? I got nothing for you, but I can think of something. Maybe, blue eyes?" he asked.

"You call me blue eyes I'll kick your ass out of here in a heart beat." Ethan growled out again tossing one of the plates at Jackson. "Danny is the only one that will ever be calling me that. And since I done told you we're not having sex you won't be seeing them that way either," he added sitting down on the other side of the coffee table setting two cokes down. "I drank the rest of the beer last night,"

"Coke's fine, you always liked Coke?" Jackson asked taking one of the bottles.

"Yeah, was my mom's favorite. Look, I'm not ready to go do the pouring my heart out to someone I don't know."

"So you call up your ex and rat me out about being an ass to you?" Jackson asked trying to keep a straight face, but it didn't take long before he was smiling.

"You are defiantly a pea brain. I can't believe you listened to my conversation. That is wrong on so many levels. I do not have a therapist like some do. I needed a friend to talk to about this guy who's really pushy. So pushy he followed me into the bathroom when I asked for alone time." Ethan stated taking two of the slices out of the box. He didn't know why he was getting annoyed but didn't want to toss Jackson out. It felt nice to go back and forth like they were right now. Aiden and he used to do it all the time, which sucked not having someone to talk to at all hours.

"I don't exactly got any friends here I'd be willing to tell my deep dark secrets too. I hate seeing a shrink who just writes shit down and tries to get me to talk. I do because it's the only way I get to stay in my loft without my parents. I might love them to death, but having them there twenty-four seven wasn't going to work." he hated that he couldn't say half of what he wanted to some woman that got paid to listen, but Ethan, he was just coming out and saying it.

"Danny's the only person I can talk to and not feel like a total freak. He knows everything I've done, the good and the bad. I told him everything about the real me that only Aiden knew. I guess calling him was me falling back on that. I'm trying to learn to do the whole stand on my own thing. It's just not that easy at the moment."

"You're not the only one doing it," Jackson sighed, "Every Friday, Sunday, and Wednesday I skype or call him. He's my best friend so it's not like I'm going to cut all ties to Beacon Hills. Danny's the one good thing I've had in my life since I was three." he took a bite out of the pizza when he finished. He wasn't sure what else to say.

He knew he really shouldn't be teasing Ethan about needing a friend. He was in desperate need of a friend too. It got lonely because he couldn't just get up and go down the road to Danny's house. He couldn't sit up all night with his best friend and just talk. Danny had been the first person he'd told he'd been adopted. He had completely lost it that night too. Danny had let him take the anger out on him. After he had screamed and yelled about how much he hated his adoptive parents. Danny had held onto him that night and it had been the last time he'd cried for a long time.

 **~EJ JE EJ JE~**

It had been a few minutes of silent's as they both ate the pizza and drinking some of the Coke. Ethan was trying to think of something to say, but he wasn't sure. He was usually good at talking and being socialable. He hadn't really gone to any place in London besides the bar and a couple food places. He wasn't up to dealing with sitting by his self, except at the bar. He felt like there he had at least the ghosts of the past with him.

"Do you like Hawaiian style pizza?" Jackson asked after a few more minutes. He could tell that Ethan was trying to think of something to say. He kept making a sound like he was going to talk then didn't.

"I think that Aiden was going to murder me when I ordered one once. He banned me from calling the pizza place near where we lived at. He also told Danny if he was going to change my food tastes pick something that he didn't like too. He was no longer allowed to give me anything he couldn't eat." Ethan smiled for a second remembering how that conversation had gone. "Danny just told Aid to shut his pie hole," he'd been so happy when Aiden and Danny had started getting along.

"I hate them, you don't put pineapple on pizza or in pancakes either," Jackson said with a groan thinking about the pineapple pancakes he'd eaten at his best friend's house. "I wasn't even told they were in them and started eating. I told Danny that I never wanted any surprise like that again. It was awful and I still don't like pineapples."

Ethan started laughing about spitting the Coke back out his nose, but some how swallowed. "Oh shit, you too? I barely got them down the first time I had them. I'll eat a pineapple, but not fried up in a pancake." he hadn't wanted to be rude so he'd ate the three that Danny's mom had made him, but he didn't want seconds.

 **~EJ JE EJ JE~**

"What kind of music you like or you got a type?" Jackson asked since he decided that Ethan was someone that he wanted to get to know.

He had heard about him a lot from Danny and he knew they'd loved each other. He also understood why Danny had let Ethan go, he didn't know if Ethan knew, but he did. He wasn't going to go ask Ethan that yet, maybe after a few weeks or months of being friends. He really did need to make a few friends and stop being antisocial.

"If you make fun of me I'm so taking back the Coke," Ethan said, but he didn't have anything behind it. Jackson wasn't so bad to talk to and he didn't seem like the ass he had been the night he'd been on Skype. He still didn't know how he'd forgotten about him being here, but he was sort of glad. "I like H.I.M. as a band, Kacey Musgraves isn't so bad, but I'm not into that much country music. Although, there are a couple songs here and there I like. I love Dean Brody's Brothers, even though I was the oldest. It'd rather have Alternative or Pop music going, if I'm in a mood I'll put Sam Smith on."

"How are you going to take the Coke back? I've drank most of it already," Jackson asked taking the bottle off the coffee table. "No metal or rap?"

"I have been known to listen to Metallica or AC/DC, but that's cause it was my dad's music of choice." He might have forgotten a lot of things by repressing his memories for so long, but he was starting to remember with the dreams and nightmares he'd been having. "My mom was a music teacher at our elementary school. She tried to teach me and Aiden how to play the piano. I liked the guitar more though, Aiden just wanted to beat the crap out of the drums."

Jackson was surprised. He didn't know why he hadn't thought that Ethan's parents might have been normal. At least, when it came to living their lives and blending in. "Do you have a guitar with you?" Jackson asked. He was going to see if Ethan might play it. He had been forced to learn how to play a piano and had hated it for years. He'd refused after he was in middle school to ever go near one again. Danny hadn't even been able to talk him into staying in music classes.

"No," Ethan said in a lower voice than he'd been talking in. He didn't want to think about his dad's guitar that he'd tried to hold onto. He'd told Danny what happened to it, but he didn't know Jackson that well yet to discuss that. It still hurt knowing his former Alpha had smashed it against a wall one day because he'd been pissed off at him. Danny had tried to get him to get another one, but he never got to go to the music store with Danny.

Jackson could tell that Ethan didn't want talk about it so he wasn't going to push this time. They were getting along so far and he didn't want to upset him again. "What did your dad do?" He hoped it was a better topic.

"He ran a local automotive garage; it was family owned and most of the pack worked there. On the weekends and after school Aiden and I hung out there. It was fun and we got to help out a lot too. Although I still cannot fix the brakes on any kind of vehicle. Every thing else I could do, even take a motor apart and rebuild it in three days, but brakes I failed at." he couldn't help but smile thinking about the younger days. He really had a lot of repressed memories if he hadn't remembered a lot of those moments until now.

"I know nothing about vehicle mechanics besides where to take my car when I need a tune up." Jackson admitted smiling because he could actually picture Ethan working under the hood of a car. He shook his head from the thought though, no need to get hard when it wasn't going to led to them hooking up.

"It's not hard when you've been around vehicles since you were born. So what do you do during the day?" Ethan asked, he had really thought about a career for his self. He hadn't even finished high school. It didn't seem right without Aiden to even finish school. He didn't have to do it; nobody was really going to care.

"I had enough credits so I graduated high school early and now I'm trying to figure out what I want to do. I'm going to college, but I haven't picked a major yet. I don't know if I want to be a lawyer like my dad or not." Jackson said finishing the Coke before setting it and his plate on the coffee table.

"Danny did the same thing, he's thinking about going to Hawaii for college. I didn't finish high school so got no chance at college. Aiden always wanted to get his diploma, he's the reason we went back to school after we almost died the first time." Of course the option of hanging out with Danny all day hadn't been bad either once he had gotten back together. "Aiden had thought about college when we were younger. He wanted to be English major, he'd write some story all the time," Ethan said, he had found a few of the newer ones when he'd been cleaning.

"You could always get your GED or take placement tests. There are also online high schools that you could look into. No reason you can't get a diploma," Jackson replied.

"Right now I'm fine; I got a job at this parts store about three blocks from here. It also does some things like testing batteries, putting windshield wipers on, stuff like that. It's not bad there and I don't get hit on by the owner." It wasn't the first job he'd tried to get even though he hadn't wanted to get one at first. He just couldn't exactly stay in all the time. He'd tried waiting tables at the cafe across from his building. It hadn't gone well at all and he'd quiet the second day. "I didn't want to have my ass grabbed all day."

"I haven't eaten there, but one of my sort of friends works there. She had the same problem for a while until I scared the shit out of her boss. He never messed with her again." He still hadn't told Beth what he had done to her boss. He wasn't going to be telling her either and he knew that the scumbag wasn't going be telling anyone he'd saw claws and fangs on some teenager.

He didn't miss the smile that Ethan had, which was coming out more since they had been talking. He hadn't missed the pain he still held behind his eyes though. He knew it was going to be a long while before Ethan dealt with the pain he was going through. It had been close to a year since he'd left his home. He still hadn't gotten over the things that had happened to him. He still had nightmares about the people he'd killed. He knew he didn't have any control, but he still felt the guilt.

 **~EJ JE EJ JE~**

Ethan glanced at the clock on the wall not realizing that it was almost twelve. He was shocked he'd been talking to Jackson as long as he had. They'd started talking after eight something and it was ten till midnight now. Once he'd stopped trying to be nice he'd actually liked Jackson. There was no way he was going be taking Jackson to any bed though. However, he didn't mind if they talked again.

"I don't want to kick you out of here, but I got to be at work at seven in the morning." Ethan finally said when Jackson had been quiet for a few minutes. "If you don't want leave you can crash on the couch or you can have the bed I'll crash here." he didn't know where exactly Jackson lived at. He'd mentioned the fact you could see Big Ben really good at night and it was across the bridge. It meant he lived on the opposite side of London he did, possibly twenty minutes away.

Jackson weighed his options on the idea of staying or leaving. He really didn't want to get up off the couch. He'd gotten comfortable in the last hour on the thing. He'd never found one this comfortable even with the ones that his mom had bought at the high end stores. "If you really don't mind I'd like to crash here. I promise not to crawl into your bed when you're sleeping." he teased looking at Ethan who was reclined back in the la-z-boy chair. It was the only other place to sit in the living room. They had finally gotten off the floor once they'd finished the pizza.

"It's cool and if you tried it you'll be hurting in the floor," Ethan couldn't help smiling again because he knew that Jackson was just joking. He hadn't smiled so much since before Aiden had died. It felt good right now to laugh and smile with someone. He'd told Jackson some things, he still didn't know him hundred percent. He didn't mind getting to know him more though.

Ethan got up going to his room bringing back a pillow and the extra blanket he had in there. "It gets cold as hell in here at night for some reason. We might have great body heat being werewolves, but I always wake up freezing. I'd swear it was Aiden's doing if he was alive. Which he could still be around, but I'm hoping he's with our parents." Ethan said handing the things to Jackson.

"Thanks just wake me up before you leave in the morning. I got class at ten, but I'm not a morning person. So if I growl at you or tell you off sorry." Jackson said putting the pillow behind him but tossing the blanket down at the foot of the couch. He'd already kicked his shoes off earlier when he laid back on the couch.

"I woke Aiden up once and he flushed the toilet on me when I was in the shower. He used to wake me up with ice water when we were kids. I thought I'd peed the bed and about kicked his ass." It had gotten better as the night went on talking about Aiden. He just hoped that he didn't have any nightmares. That really would be embarrassing since he hadn't said anything about those.

"I did that to Danny once, only once, he stole my game boy and wouldn't give it back for a month. I'd been a head on the game, but when I got it back he'd wiped out my high score. So I know little about payback." Jackson replied. He didn't know if he should say anything about the chance of waking up screaming. He was hoping that he didn't, it was one reason he'd almost turned Ethan's offer down. "Look, if you hear me yell out for some reason just ignore me if I'm not too loud. I sometimes have nightmares."

"You're not the only one," Ethan said looking down, it was low, but he knew Jackson had heard him. "Night, I'll wake you at six-thirty," he added leaving and going to where his room was. He shut the door all the way thinking about locking it, but he changed his mind. He opened the door back up part of the way before going to the bed.

Besides talking to Danny, Ethan hadn't really had a great time in the last few weeks. With everything going on in his life and all the trauma he'd gone through. Right now though, he actually had a reason to be glad he was alive. He missed Aiden so much, but talking to Jackson had let some of that ache out of his heart.

He had promised Danny he wouldn't do anything stupid by killing his self. He knew he wouldn't see his parents or Aiden again if he did that. Ethan laid down looking up at the ceiling. "Thanks for tonight, Aid. I know I got you to think for this, love you little brother." he rolled over on his side letting sleep take him. For some reason he could tell that things were going to get better. It was still going to hurt for a while. He'd never get over losing Aiden, but he wasn't going to feel paralyzed from the hole in his chest.

 **~THE END~**


End file.
